Ingot stool remover and the like



Jan. 9, 1951 J. c. REED meow STOOL REMOVER AND THE LIKE able for attachment to :Pa tented Jan. 9, 1951 l I I "UNITE-o s'rArss' PATEN -f optics 2,537,788 r moor s'roor. REMOVER AND THE LIKE vJohn C. Reed, Steelton, Pm, assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 13, 1947, Serial No. 754,433.

- 2 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus adapta handling device for disengaging onemember from another member and is especially adaptable for attachment to a crane for disengaging a mould-bottom or "stool" from a metal ingot.

When molten metal is teemed into the mould it impinges on the, mould stool and erodes it, frequently forming alveoli in the stool, so that when the ingot solidifies the stool is firmly keyed to it and must be detached forcibly therefrom.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved and simple apparatus for removing the stool from an ingot by striking a downward blow against one side of an ingot stool while said side of said stool is elevated a few inches above the surface upon which the stool normally rests.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatuses above set forth, of such configuration that it may be located on a handling device such as an ingot handling crane so as to be available for immediate use without delay and without the necessity for transporting either the apparatus to the members to be separated, such as the ingot and stool, or the ingot and 'stool to the apparatus when'it is necessary to forcibly detach the ingot from the stool.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus, as above set forth, of such configuration and so devised that it will enable the user thereof to readily direct the blow against one of the members to be separated such as the stool at the exact place desired.

The novel features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description and claims taken with the accompany- I ing drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus of my invention, partially in elevation and partially in section, the various members being in their extended position, as at the completion of a stroke of the hammer.

Fig. 2 is a side view partially in elevation and partially in section and showing one means for mounting the apparatus on a crane or other device, the movable members thereof being shown fully retracted.

Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation of an ingot handling crane showing the apparatus of my invention mounted thereon by a modified means from that shown in Fig. 2.

- Fig. 4 is an end view in elevation of the upper connection between the crane and the apparatus of my invention as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein I show two different attaching means for connecting the apparatus of my invention to a travelling crane or other handling devices, the structure and operation of my novel apparatus are substantially the same, the diiferences being hereafter pointed out in the description of the two apparatuses, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, which is designated by the numeral l5 and that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which is designated by the numeral l5.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the preferred form of attachment of my invention to an ingot or ingot mold, handling travelling crane ill of the type shown, which is shown with an ingot mold lifting device or tongs ll attached thereto and engaging an ingot mold [2, which is shown partially lifted from the ingot G3, the ingot l3 having attached thereto an ingot stool I l. The apparatus l5 of my invention is shown attached to the crane ill with its lower end engaging the stool l4. Details of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 and that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 are substantially the same except for the brackets which connect the apparatus l5 and I5, respectively, to the handling device or the crane.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 which show enlarged views of my invention, the apparatus comprises a framework made up of longitudinal members I] which are shown as structural steel angles. These members I! are connected in relationship to each other by the members l8, I9, 20 and 21 and in the case of the apparatus 15 of Figs. 1 and 2, by the mounting brackets 22 and in the case of the apparatus l5 of Fig. 3 by the members 23, as shown more fully in Fig. 4 and constitutes a housing 9. Mounted within the housing 9 and for slidable movement therein is a guide tube 24 which is preferably constructed of a non-magnetic material, such as brass, bronze, austenitic steel or the like, having a head 25 and a body 26, the body 26 extending through the guide members I 8, l9 and 20 which have a bore therethrough so that the body 26 may slide freely therein. The head 25 is of such size and contour that it will slide freely within the confines of the member I! and is adapted to rest on the top of the guide member 20 when the guide tube 24 is fully extended, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A guide 21 which extends through the space between two of the frame members I! is attached to the upper end of the guide tube 24 and is provided with means for receivingaholstingcablezt. Fig.2showsthe guide tube 24 in its uppermost position. The member 20 is cut away on the side adjacent the guide 21, as shown in Fig. 1. Mounted with its body within the guide tube 24 is a drop hammer 29 which is made of a suitable grade of steel and which is shown in Fig. as having a square head 30. The head 30 is of such size as to slide freely within the confines of the members l1 and is capable of being supported by the head 25 of the guide tube 24, and the body is of such size and contour that it will slide freely within the guide tube 24. A cross section of the hammer body, guide tube 24. the guide members it and frame members I! is shown in Fig. 6. Mounted within the upper part of the frame members I! and supported by the members 21 is shown a portative electromagnet 3| which is so mounted that it is free to move a limited amount in a vertical direction when the head 30 of the hammer 28 is brought into engagement therewith, thus providing for a reasonable amount of overtravel of the hammer 29 and the other movable members, such as the guide tube 24.

An electric motor driven hoist 32 which is attached to any suitable member on the handling device or crane or bracket connecting the apparatus to the handling device or crane is provided adjacent the upper end of the apparatus.

This hoist comprises a drum 33 upon which the cable 28, which is connected to the guide 21, is wound for drawing the guide tube 24 from the positions shown in F8. 1 and Fi 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The drawing of the guide tube 24 from the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to the positionshown in Fig. 2 also draws the hammer 29 up against the electromagnet 3|. A cable guide wheel 34 which is rotatably and slidably supported on the shaft 35 is provided to guide the cable 'at the upper end "of the apparatus. V a

As stated above, the upper end of the apparatus l5 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is connected to the crane I by means of the members 23 and the upper end of the apparatus [5 as shown in Y Fig.2 is connected to the handling device by means of the brackets 22. The bracket 22 is preferably provided with a plurality of apertures 35 and the handling device is also provided with a plurality of apertures 31 and connecting links 38 having suitable fastening means are provided for adjustably mounting the apparatus ii on the handling device through the medium of the aperture 36 and 31. The apparatus I5 is adapted to be pivotally connected to the handling device intermediate its ends by the bracket 39 which is shown attached to the members H. The upper end of the apparatus i5 is shown adjustably mounted on the crane In by means of the brackets 40 which have a plurality of apertures 4| to which the upper ends of the links 42 are attached by suitable means and arms 43 hav-- ing a plurality of apertures 44 for adjustably mounting said arms 43 on the crane by suitable fastening, means. Links 45 are provided with suitable fastening means for pivotally mounting the apparatus at its upper end to here 23. Suitable means such as the connector 46 is provided to pivotally attach the apparatus 55' intermediate its ends to the crane Hi.

The operation of the apparatus of my invention is as follows:

With the hammer 29 and the guide tube 24 4 held in the position shown in Fig. 2 by the cable 28, which has been wound to the position indicated by the hoist 22, the electromagnet 31 is energized by suitable means under the control of the operator of the handling device and thereby supports the hammer 29 by virtue of the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the head of the hammer. The guide tube 24 is then lowered by unwinding the cable 28 from drum 23 until the lower end reaches the position adjacent the location on the obJect where the blow of the hammer is to be struck, such as the position shown in Fig. 3 where the stool i4 is the object to be struck by the hammer. The electromagnet 31 is then deenergized by the operator of the handling device permitting the hammer 29 to fall and to strike the desired blow at the location indicated' Fig. 3 shows the lower end of the hammer striking the stool l4 which is the crane In through the medium of the memto be separated from the ingot l3. After the hammer has struck its blow it is raised along with the guide tube 24 by means of the hoist 32 winding the cable 28 onto the drum 33 to the position indicated in Fig. 2.

The apparatus of my invention is particularly "useful in combination with an ingot stripping crane, upon which it is shown mounted in Fig. 3. In the event that the in ,ot is does not part freely from its stool I4 the ingot is tilted to one side by the tongs ll thereby causing one side of the stool to be elevated a few inches above the surface on which it normally rests, whlch may be the car on W1'i10h it is transported. It is also particularly useful in combination with an ingot soaking pit crane for freeing an ingot from its stool by elevating the ingot and stool a few inches above the car. In both cases the guide tube 24 is lowered thecorrect amount and by proper movement of the crane is brought to rest immediately above the stool at the proper location, such as that disclosed in Fig. 3 for the ingot strippin crane, whereupon the magnet 3: is deenergized permitting the hammer to drop and thereby force the stool free from the irnot. The hammer 3| and guide tube 24 is then retractcd as heretofore described whereupon the ingot may be handled in its normal manner.

From the foregoing it is evident that one advantage of my invention is the. configuration of the apparatus which is such that it may be mounted readily on a suitable crane so that it can perform its function at the proper true in the sequence of handling ingots between the teeming thereof and their placement in ingotsoaking pits, without interfering with the proper functioning of the crane whereon it is mounted.

A further advantage of my invention is that the apparatus which comprises the housing within which the guide tube and the hammer are normally retained in their retracted positions may be brought into action without delay, im-

mediately upon discovery of the need for its use.

aaemee between the apparatus, when fully retracted, and the object to be struck b said hammer. Also the stroke of said hammer 29 and guide tube 24 may approach the length of the apparatus, a's retracted, more closely than in previously contrived devices and in practical forms of my invention may be two-thirds of such retracted length.

In the several figures, and the above speciflcathat the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to other uses than those above set out.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A drop hammer device for removing an ingot from its stool comprising a housing, a mount attached to said housing for attaching said housing to an ingot stripping crane, an extensible tube slidably mounted within said housing, a hammer slidably mounted in said tubeand having an extension on its upper end projecting beyond said tube, said hammer and said tube being retractable within said housing, a retracting device mounted on said mount and operatively attached to said tube to simultaneously retract said hammer and said tube to their retracted position within said housing, and an electromagnet mounted within the top of said housing adapted when energized to hold the hammer in its retracted position, so that when the retracting device is operated to release the tube to an extended position, the hammer is held in raised position thus enabling the end of the tube to be so adjusted with respect to the ingot stool that when the electromagnet is deenergized the hammer strikes the proper portion of the stool.

2. In combination with an ingot or ingot mold handling crane, said crane comprising a device for lifting an ingot or an ingotmold in a vertical plane and being capable of tilting an ingot having a stoolattached thereto, an ingot stool removing apparatus for separating said stool from said ingot, said apparatus comprising a housing, a mount attached to said housing for attaching said housing to said crane and holding the longitudinal axis of said housing at an angle to the vertical, a guide tube slidably mounted within said housing, a hammer slidably mounted within said guide tube and having at its upper end a head of greater diameter than the guide tube, a hoist mounted on said mount and connected to said guide tube and adapted to raise and retain said hammer and guide tube in their normal retracted position within said housing and an electromagnet mounted on the upper end of the housing and engaged by said hammer in its retracted position, said electromagnet when energized holding said hammer in its upper position while the hoist lowers the guide tube and said electromagnet when deenergized with the tube in lowered position releasing the hammer to strike a blow on the edge of the stool raised by the tilting actionof the crane.

- JOHN C. REED.

REFERENCES CITED ,The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date k 443,424 Birney et a1 Dec. 23, 1890 1,807,275 Bigler et al May 26, 1981 1,924,740 Harry et al Aug. 29, 1933 2,046,323 DeWolfe July 7, 1936 2,063,676 Hively Dec. 8, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Page 290, 24th Open Hearth Proceedings. American Institute of Mining and-Metallurgical Engineers, 29 West 39th Street, New York, 1941. 

